Improvement in brick handling machines



March 8,, 1960 c. M. GRUENDLING IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK HANDLING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1957 INVEN TOR. Cannes 07. GR01Y0L 1N6. fbalm his a 7- raeA/c, 7.

March 8, 1960 Filed March 4, 1957 c. M. GRUENDLING 2,927,360

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK HANDLING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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HTT'OE 7 Ma h 8, 1960 c. M. GRUENDL|NG 2, 2 ,360

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK HANDLING MACHINES Filed March 4, 1957 3 Sheets$heet 3 6. mmvm Cxmezss (7. GewsnaLm/e.

BY Z m finite States Patent 2,921,360 7 IMPROVEMENT 1 BRiCK HANDLING MACHINES Charles M. Gruendling, Latrobe, Pa, assigiior to Riverside Tool & Die (30., Lafiobe, Pa a cal-pounce of Pennsylvania I V Application March 4, 1957, senai No. 643,603

Claims. ems-1 My invention relates to apparatus for removing newly formed bricks from a brick making machine of thpress mold type. I

In the conventional method of brick removal from the molding machine or press, the charger by its forward movement pushes the brick forward onto a pallet or a platen. This method frequently scores the bottom, and this pressure also sometimes causes the front and back edges of the brick to become somewhat broken, or cracks are produced in the bricks. To get a smoothbrickwith perfect edges it is important to raise the brick off the table level, for transfer onto the pallet.

When a brick is gripped at its ends between lifter members with length-wisev pressure thereon as' is' presently the practice, it tends to flex and become distorted. This flexing or bowing causes minute fractures which do not show up until after firing. Y

My invention has for its object the provisionof apparatus that is automatically operable in timed relation to the brick pressing machine for lifting the newly pressed bricks and removing them to a pallet or other takeofi devices, in an improved manner, without causing them to spall, become cracked, or distorted.

The apparatus is here shown as employed in connection with a conventional form of molding press for shaping bricks and it is therefore not necessary to show and describe the pressing. mechanism infull detail.

My lifter grips the brick in its width-wise direction, reducing danger of distortion, and raisesand carries it forward in a raised position, and deposits it on the pallet.

As shown in the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a pressing machine of conventional form such as can 'be equipped with my invention. I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my frame and gripping members for lifting. and transferring the pressed bricks, and showing also a diagrammatic view of the electrical and air control apparatus for operating the same.

Fig. 3 is a view showing more clearly the manner in which the rocking bar of one of the gripping members is mounted and operated.

Fig. 4 shows the lifter frame in its rearward and open position, and the manner in which the other gripping bar of the frame is slidably supported for yielding movement.

Fig. 5 shows the lifter frame moving forwardly with the lifting bars of Fig. 4, holding a brick raised.

Fig. 6 shows, somewhat schematically, the gripper bars of Fig. 5, moved back to their release positions.

Fig. 7 shows a modification of the actuating members for the grippers.

The apparatus'as shown in Fig. 1 comprises the usual drive pulley 6 that has geared connection with a gear wheel 7 which is carried on a shaft 8 and has a crank pin 9 connected to a crank arm or link 10 which in turn has pivoted connection at 11 with a pair of toggle links 12, to thereby raise and lower a brick presser 13 above a mold cavity 14, the presser being reciprocated vertically during rotation of the gear wheel 7. A lower presser 2,927,360 Patented 8-, 1960 3 ice block 15 is yieldably" held in upwardly projected position by a spring 16. V g

A stationary charging hopper 17 directs the processed brick material into a charger 18 that is reciprocated hori- Zontally by a link 19 or the like to carry charges of material into position above the mold cavity 14, at a time when the toggle 12 is collapsed and the presser 13 in its uppermost position. The charger 18 is then automatically withdrawn to receive another charge and at that instant, the toggle 12 is straightened to project the presser 13 down against the clay and to squeeze the clay between the pressers 13 and 15. Further movement of the shaft 8 withdraws the presser 13 upwardly and the brick is raised by the press or plunger 15 into position to be moved off the upper surface of the press 15 toward a table or pallet 21, when the charger 18 again moves forward with another mass of clay for forming the next brick. These parts are all well known in the patented art and the brick-making industry, and need not be further described, since my invention relates primarily to an attachment and apparatus that will operate in timed relation to the foregoing movements and operations, to lift and remove the newly pressed bricks from the pressing station otherwise than by having them simply pushed out of the way by the charger as has heretofore been a common practice.

My frame for the lifting and takeoff apparatus is designated generally by the numeral 22 and carries a back bar 23 which is secured to the frame of the charger 18, by bolts or screws 24. A rear frame bar 25 is secured to the back bar 23 and the side bars 26 and 27 are carried by the members 23 and 25. A rocker arm 28 that is padded, serves as a gripper and is carried by trunnions 29 and 30 journalled in the side bars of the frame.

A pinion 32 is secured to the shaft of the trunnionStl, the trunnions 29 and 30 supporting the gripping bar 28 in eccentric relation to the axis of the pinion 32. The pinion 32 meshes with a rack 33 that is connected to a piston rod 34 whose piston is contained within an air cylinder 35, to the opposite ends of which airlines 36 and 37 are connected for effecting reciprocation of the rack and oscillation of the gripping bar 28. A gripper bar 39 padded with 21 facing of some soft material such asfelt, or rubber, or leather, etc. carries rods 40, that are slidably supported in the frame member (Fig. 4) 25. The bar 23 is recessedxto' receiveexpansion springs 41 that are interposed between a recessed wall in the bar 25 and the rear side of the bar 39. The springs 41 thus yieldably project the gripper bar 39 toward the other gripper bar 28, to engage a brick.

The shaft 8 carries a bracket 43 to which is secured a pair of switch operating members 44 and 45 which will sequentially be brought into engagement with push buttons or plungers of micro switches 46 and 47, respecticely, during each revolution of the shaft 8. The switches 46 and 47 are mounted on bracket members 43 that are secured to the machine frame and are respectively connected, through conductors 5t) and 51, with coils in a double acting solenoid valve 52 to which air pressure is supplied through a line 53 and which in turn supplies and exhausts air through the hose pipes 36 and 37 to the cylinder 35. When air is supplied through the line 36 to one end of the cylinder 35, the other end of the cylinder will exhaust through an exhaust port 57, while when the direction of air flow is reversed exhaust will be from the other end of the cylinder through a port 58.

The switch-operating members 4445 are so positioned on the shaft 8 that after a brick has been pressed and the arm 10 retracted to collapse the toggle 12 and raise the presser 13, the switch arm 44 will close the 18 is being started forward in 'a directionto removefthe brick from the member 15.. This swinging movementfof the'grippin-g bar 28 causes it to move through'an are near the end 'of which 'it will engage and slightly lift the forward edge of the brick'56. At this time the frame 22 is moving forward and engages the rear edge of the brick 56, and there is then slight rearward movement of said bar in an upwardly sloping position by reason of the guide rods 40. The brick is thus yieldably gripped and lifted slightly. Continued forward movement of the charger 18 causesthe frame and the'brick to be carried to a pallet or other supporting surface at 21."

When the charger-has been moved to.the limit of its forward movement, above thepallet ZLthswitChEoperating member 45 'will' have been brought "into' engagement with the switch 47 to close it and admit fluid pressure 9 through the line 36 to'the rear end of the cylinder 35, 7

thereby rocking the bar 28 in a clockwise direction from the position of Fig. to.that of Fig. 6, where it will be higher than the brick, to thus clear the brick ceiving surface, of a frame connect'ed tosaid member at 1 its front side and which i's'open vertically to receive a brickat the pressingstation, when the said member is in retracted position, parallel gripper bars in the frame, at the front and rear sides thereof, supporting trunnions depending from said frame and pivotally connected to the ends of the front gripper liar, and to the frame, a

member automatically operated in timed relation to movements *of the, said horizontally movable member, to

i the brick and the other gripping baris yieldably projected when the frame is again moved rearwargllyh' When the grippers have released the brick, it will be'deposited upim the pallet 21. a i Y ried forward along with the frame 22 and th e charger 18.,It will thus be seen that at'the end of each rearward movement of the frame 22, the bars '28 and "39 will be in lowered position, while at the beg'inningof the forward movement they will be raised to grip a brick. Hydraulic pressure can be used instead of; air pressure for the cylinder 35. Also, the frame 22 and the gripping bars can be of such length as'to move several bricks simul- 'taneously, when used on a machine that presses a plurality of bricks at the same time. p v i 'InFig. 7, I show a modification of the structure of Fig. 2 wherein electrical conductors 59 and 60 correspond to the conductors 50 and 51 of Fig. 2 and supply current alternately in reverse directions through a double-acting solenoid 60 whose core is connectedto arack bar 62 that corresponds to the rackban33, N

Itwill therefore be seen th t l: provide a liftingjdevice which minimizes danger of injury to the bricks, because it engages them in width-wise direction instead of following the prior practice of gripping them.

I claim as my inventior 1: V

,1. The combination with a brick-pressing machine that has a horizontally-movable member which shifts bricks forwardly from a-pressingstation in the machine to a rethe brick." 2. A structure as recited in claim .1, wherein means are provided for automatically raising the forward gripper bar above the uppermost plane of the brick, during movement of the bar to release position. v

3. Astructure' as recited in claim '1,'wherein the rear grippenbar is supported on forwardly and downwardly in a downwardly sloping direction against the rear face of sloping guides in the frame and yieldably projected forwardly and downwardly on the-guides, in position to be engaged by the'brick when the forward bar engages the .front side of the brick with lifting force.

4. A structure as recited inclaim 1,: wherein the rear gripper bar is supported for forward and downward movement in the'frame and a spring yieldably, projects it forwardly and downwardly in the -frame, in-position to be engaged by the brick when the forward bar engages the front side of the brick with grippingand lifting force.

' 5. The combination with 'a brickpressin'g machine-that has a horizontally-movable memberwhich-shifts bricks forwardly'from a pressing station in the; machine, to a receiving surface, of a frameconnectedto said member at its front side andwhiclr is opento'receive a brick at the pressingstati'on,'whenthe said member is 'inretracted position, gripper bars in the frame at the front and I681 sides'thereof, means operating in timed relation to the movements of the said' memben for {moving the front gripper bar in rearward and upward directions into" en- References Citedin the fileof this patent" I uNrransrArns PATENTS 716,461 McElheny 1x623, 1902 1,959,512 Wallet a1 May 22,1934

. 2,685,117 Rivers Aug. 3, 1954 2,836,873 Ling'l 3 June 3,1958

FOREIGN PATENTS. 463,687 Canada Mar. 14,1950 

